Types of Writing English 10 Ms. Shanley, Ms. Rowe

Expository Purpose: To inform Definition: Writing that explains or informs Examples: Define a term, summarize a book or article, compare/contrast, explain how to do something, cause/effect, interpret a work of literature

Expository (cont’d) Key Words: Explain, tell, write, describe, define, summarize, interpret, compare/contrast, show, illustrate, research

Summary A summary recaps the 5Ws: Who, what, where, when, why, how On the left side of your notebook copy the prompt, underline key words, and write a 5-7 sentence response.

Summary Summarize the plot of a book you read for summer reading (Perks of Being a Wallflower, Looking for Alaska, Graveyard Book, or Treasure Island). Be sure to include both the name and author of your book in the first sentence of your summary

Expository Essay Structure Introduction (includes thesis statement) Body (1-3 paragraphs) Conclusion

Introduction Grabs reader’s attention with a hook Tell an anecdote, ask a question, state an opinion about your topic, give a startling/surprising fact, quote someone. Make your topic and purpose clear; provide background, if necessary State your thesis/main idea. This should always be the last sentence(s) in your introduction paragraph

Body at least 1-3 paragraphs State topic/subtopic and support it with examples/evidence Fit your style to your purpose with details

Conclusion Restate your thesis/topic Pull all of your ideas together Summarize your main points End by giving your reader something to think about

Style When writing about literature, ALWAYS include the title and author’s first and last name in your first sentence. Avoid using first and second person pronouns (I, we, us, you) unless specifically asked to share your personal opinion.

Thesis Statement Should be specific-it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence Usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of the essay Topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper

Thesis Examples The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires all school libraries receiving certain federal funds to install and use blocking software to prevent students from viewing material considered “harmful to minors.” However, some studies conclude that blocking software in schools damages educational opportunities for students, both by blocking access to Web pages that are directly related to the state-mandated curriculums and by restricting broader inquiries of both students and teachers. In your view, should the schools block access to certain Internet Web sites?

Thesis Examples While the requirement to block certain websites to protect minors from questionable content is honorable, filters often block useful education websites from students, hindering their learning process, and therefore, should be implemented, but with access to educational websites in mind.

Thesis Statement Practice In your notebooks, write a thesis statement for each of the following prompts. You will receive feedback from Ms. Shanley and what and how to improve your thesis statements.

Thesis #1 Educators debate extending high school to five years because of increasing demands on students from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities and community service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extending high school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five years because they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop in the fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years? In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

Thesis #2 Many successful adults recall a time in life when they were considered a failure at one pursuit or another. Some of these people feel strongly that their previous failures taught them valuable lessons and led to their later successes. Others maintain that they went on to achieve success for entirely different reasons. In your opinion, can failure lead to success? Or is failure simply its own experience? In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.